Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
I MUST admit that I have a problem. I’m addicted to shopping. The good news is that I found the perfect place to indulge … the 26th edition of the Autumn Fair at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis!
The event is a consumer product fair that annually attracts an average of 150,000 shoppers primarily from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. With more than 750 exhibitors from 21 different countries including China, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, UAE, Pakistan, Yemen and Thailand, there was more than enough to feed a shopper’s itch.
I arrived at the venue and walked into a buzzing crowd. Outside, there was a fun children’s area with a bouncy castle, rock-climbing area, a mechanical bull for the venture seekers and other rides. I was tempted to check it out myself and had there been more time, I would have fancied a bull ride, but unfortunately there are only so many shopping hours in a day.
My first impression of the inside of the venue was that it was a giant, glamorous indoor flea market, which was something I knew I could enjoy. I love nice things as well as knick-knacks, but it’s even more fun when you can strike a nice deal and this was the perfect place to bargain for the best price.
It takes a ridiculous amount of time to navigate through the swarms of people and abundance of random products to find the goodies (as well as a parking spot – so much time that my photographer and I were able to take a nap in the car while we were waiting forever in the queue).
With so many varieties of products, I wasn’t sure where to start. My first stop ended up being a booth for Chinese gizmos and gadgets, including giant magnifying glasses, fishing lights, binoculars and oversized mechanical pencils that were called the ‘perfect pencil’ (I have yet to figure out what made them so perfect).
As an avid spa enthusiast, my eyes were set on trying the electronic pulse massager. I sat down and the attendant attached the electrodes on my neck. She then turned the device on, and at first it felt like a nice little buzz and I smiled in delight. Then she decided that she needed to turn it on full blast and my body started jolting like the moment Frankenstein was brought to life. I decided that I had enough of this massage and needed something to soothe the shock of feeling like I was resurrected from the dead.
Good thing my eyes saw a plethora of glittering shoes ahead. My heart skipped a beat and I felt alive again. I must have looked through 40 pairs in different colours, materials and patterns. That itself took about half the time of our visit and my photographer, Ryan Bayona, decided that allotted him enough time to take a comfort break.
After comparing all the shoes, I was happy that I was able to walk off with three fabulous pairs for BD10. My photographer and I also played with the ‘pong-pangs’, which were little drums that reminded me somewhat of maracas for BD1.500. There’s nothing better than marching to the beat of your own drum while walking off with a sweet deal.
I excitedly perused through stalls of colourful sweets and stacks of saffron and spices, cooking contraptions, vats of Middle Eastern honey, handmade wooden furniture, plush pashmina and cashmere scarves, handbags and shoes, cleaning products, work-out equipment, bold gold-plated brass lamps, sparkling jewellery, loads of make-up, men’s suits and electrical goods.
It was like walking through the land of real life infomercials. Some booths had attendants speaking over microphones to entice shoppers.
Some of the items that I didn’t care for included a creepy child’s toy that resembled a baby weasel playing with a two-tone ball in a bucket of water (the thought of the critter still gives me nightmares), an inflatable balloon-like yo-yo that was bigger than my head (bigger ISN’T always better) and insect art (NO thanks), just to name a few.
I did take the time to look through as much as I possibly could and found some real gems, literally and figuratively. I stopped to take a look at a booth filled with beautiful rings that featured various hues of onyx. All of the items were handmade and ran between BD40-BD50.
My other favourite items included large blankets that came in many stylish prints and were so soft and warm that I imagine it would be the same as sleeping next to a friendly polar bear; giant, posh golden mirrors and clocks that would be a great addition to any home whose owner aims to have the essence of a palace and electronic trash bins that magically opened with the wave of a hand (who wants to touch a trash bin anyway, right?).
There were also Turkish lamps that were bursting with colour and light, traditional handmade clothing featuring vivid colours, patterns and sequins and sparkling accessories, including rings, headbands, bracelets and necklaces (I purchased one of each in the range of BD1-BD3 each) and the sensational scents at Al Hawaj.
After walking around for a few hours (yes, HOURS), I decided that I probably overloaded my brain with enough chaos and stimulation for one evening. The great thing about this bazaar is that no matter who the person or what his or her tastes are, there is probably something for everyone, especially since it doesn’t require one to break the bank for most items.
Not only that, but there are a lot of novelty items for those seeking something different to add to their collections. I wouldn’t say that the Autumn Fair is a man’s paradise per se, but their wallets are definitely welcome to help pay the debts caused by the flea market fever!
The sudden shopping fix didn’t last long and I came back with friends the following day for a double dose of deals.
There’s still time to check out the event as it goes on till tomorrow and wraps up at 10pm. Admission for adults to the event is 700 fils. For those who can’t catch it this time round, no worries, it will be back next year.
For more information, call 17550033 or visit https://www.theautumnfair.com
